England vs Romania preview: Selection headaches mounting up for Gareth Southgate on eve of Euro 2020

Follow England vs Romania in our dedicated live match blog; Watch free match highlights on Sky Sports digital platforms and YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle

Sunday 6 June 2021 15:10, UK

As England face their final rehearsal before Euro 2020 against Romania, Gareth Southgate still has major selection headaches to sort.

Warm-up matches ahead of major tournaments are supposed to be seen as an opportunity to put those final touches to great made plans.

It hasn't worked out that way for Southgate.

"We've got another 90 minutes to get through and that in itself is a bit of a challenge," he said after England's 1-0 win over Austria on Wednesday. A game where England lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to a tournament-ending injury.

England face Romania on Sunday at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium in their final warm-up game before their tilt at the European Championship begins.

Those involved in the Champions League and Europa League finals - Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling, John Stones, Kyle Walker, Mason Mount, Reece James, Luke Shaw, Dean Henderson, Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford - are now with the squad, so Southgate has the opportunity to field a team in his thoughts for the Euro 2020 opener against Croatia next Sunday.

However, it's a case of risk or rest for the England manager. Does he name his strongest side to gain that all-important chemistry or is that too much of a risk?

We probably shouldn't read too much into the starting line-up on Sunday because the Chelsea and Manchester City players are a good few days behind the rest of the squad who have been here more than a week. But seeing how Southgate manages this tricky situation will be an interesting side-note to this final warm-up game.

As ever, he's keeping his cards close to his chest. It's difficult to second guess what he'll do.

Will Henderson return?

The clock must be ticking down on Jordan Henderson proving his fitness to make him a viable key player for the tournament.

We are now just over a week away from England's opener and still the Liverpool man has yet to play a minute of football since February when his groined pinged in the Merseyside derby. His comeback was supposed to be vs Austria but he didn't even get out of his training gear after complaining of discomfort on the morning of the match. A scan showed no damage to the groin area and Henderson has since been training with the England group.

It's safe to assume Henderson will not play against Croatia. But how far away from full fitness is he? Trying to manage a player's minutes during a tournament, especially one in such a key position as central midfield, is another headache Southgate could do without.

On Henderson, Southgate said: "The plan, as it was on Wednesday, will be that he's involved in the game. The last two, three days training have been a lot more positive for him.

"I think the confidence of having a scan that showed no issues has helped him to push forward with his rehabilitation and training. He's been visibly happier within himself I think and that's a positive sign."

Bellingham to keep spot?

It seems extraordinary that England may end up using a 17-year-old to replace a player of Henderson's standing against Croatia. But then Jude Bellingham is no ordinary 17-year-old.

"You can't help but marvel at a performance of a boy that age," said Southgate after Bellingham's power-packed showing in a feisty midfield battle with the Austrians. Playing alongside Declan Rice in central midfield, Bellingham was cool and composed in the middle of the park, able to break up Austria attacks and start England's - just as he did for the goal. The pre-tournament thinking surrounded Kalvin Phillips being the man to play with Rice in the England engine room but Bellingham might just be edging past him.

He could cement his place with another bold showing.

Team news

Henderson has given Southgate a timely boost ahead of the game and should feature at some point.

Jadon Sancho will return after recovering from a mild throat infection, as will Phillips, who is showing no long-term problems with the shoulder injury sustained on the final day of the season with Leeds.

Captain Harry Kane, defender Harry Maguire and Bukayo Saka did not train with the group outside with the FA revealing the trio were "following a personal training programme indoors to manage load." Maguire joined up with the squad on Thursday and is recovering from an ankle ligament injury sustained at Aston Villa a month ago.

How to follow

Follow England vs Romania in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

Opta stats

England striker Harry Kane has scored eight goals in 10 appearances on a Sunday for his country, with only Tom Finney scoring more goals on Sunday for the Three Lions (10).
England manager Gareth Southgate and Romania manager Mirel Rădoi faced at the Riverside Stadium as players back in April 2006 in a match between Middlesbrough and Steaua Bucharest in the UEFA Cup. Southgate was subbed after 26 minutes with Boro losing 2-0, while Rădoi completed the full match with Steaua letting their 2-0 lead slip to lose 4-2 and be eliminated 4-3 on aggregate.
England haven't lost their final match leading up to a major tournament (Euros & World Cup) ahead of any their last 18 tournaments (W14 D4) since losing 1-0 away at West Germany immediately prior to the 1968 Euros.
Romania have shipped 17 goals in their last six away matches in all competitions (W1 D1 L4), though this is their first away friendly game since March 2018 at Israel, a 2-1 victory.
All four previous meetings between England and Romania on English soil have ended in a draw, with three 1-1 draws and a goalless draw, all at Wembley. England have played more home matches against Romania without winning than any other nation.
Among nations England have played more than twice, only against Brazil (15%) do they have a lower win ratio than they do against Romania (18%). They have won none of their last seven against the Romanians (D4 L3), only having longer winless runs against two European nations: Scotland (8 between 1880 and 1887) and Sweden (12 between 1979 and 2006).
Romania have won each of their last two matches against England, although both came more than 20 years ago: a 2-1 win at the 1998 World Cup and a 3-2 win at Euro 2000. Their winning goal in 1998 came in the 90th minute, while their 2000 victory came via an 89th-minute winner. The latter match saw Gareth Southgate appear as a substitute.
England have only won two of their 11 international matches against Romania (D6 L3), beating them in a 1939 friendly match and at the 1970 World Cup.